New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gets a sky-high 71 - 22 percent approval rating and
leads the list of 2009 mayoral candidates, but New York City voters oppose 56 - 38 percent
extending term limits so Mayor Bloomberg can serve four more years, according to a Quinnipiac
University poll released today.

When New York City voters are asked by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack)
University poll whom they would like to see elected Mayor in 2009:

38 percent name Bloomberg;

12 percent pick Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly;

11 percent choose Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz;

10 percent name U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner;

7 percent want City Comptroller William Thompson;

7 percent pick City Council Speaker Christine Quinn;

4 percent name Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.

Looking at the issue of term limits, 55 percent of voters say changing the rules in the
middle of the game is unfair, while 40 percent say Bloomberg deserves four more years to finish
his work as Mayor.

By a 71 - 23 percent margin, New Yorkers support the basic concept of term limits.
Support is consistent among all groups. Voters oppose 65 - 32 percent extending the current two-
term or eight-year limit so city officials could serve a third term.

"New York City voters sure like Mayor Mike, and they'd love to keep him around for four
more years, but not enough to change the two-term limit in the City Charter," said Maurice Carroll,
director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Should Bloomberg be allowed to finish what he's started, or would changing the rules be
unfair? 'Unfair,' say more than half New Yorkers."

By a 54 - 26 percent margin, New York City voters say Bloomberg's takeover of the
public schools has been a success. But only 29 percent say the next mayor should keep complete
control of the schools, while 55 percent say the Mayor should share control with an independent
school board and 8 percent say the Mayor should give up all control of the schools.

Voters turn thumbs down on another Bloomberg initiative, saying 58 - 39 percent that
they do not want to try again to institute congestion pricing.

Grades for the last four New York City mayors are:

A B C D F

Michael Bloomberg 32 41 17 7 3

Rudolph Giuliani 23 29 22 11 13

David Dinkins 6 24 28 16 15

Edward Koch 19 33 25 6 3

"Bloomberg is at the head of the class, as voters give him higher grades than his
predecessors. His overall mark matches his current stratospheric job rating. Mayors Giuliani and
Koch get fairly high grades. Mayor Dinkins rates well only among black voters," Carroll said.

New York City voters approve 60 - 27 percent of the job Police Commissioner Kelly is
doing. Approval ratings for other city officials are:

51 - 13 percent for Comptroller Thompson;

44 - 25 percent for Council Speaker Quinn;

45 - 17 percent for Public Advocate Gotbaum;

44 - 37 percent for Schools Chancellor Joel Klein;

From July 10 - 14, Quinnipiac University surveyed 999 New York City registered voters,
with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and
nationwide as a public service and for research.
For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job
as Mayor?

2. Now I'm going to name seven people who might run for mayor next year. After I
read all seven names, please tell me which one you would most like to see elected
mayor in 2009. Here are the choices: Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough
President Marty Markowitz, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Congressman Anthony
Weiner, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, City Comptroller William Thompson
or Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum?

TREND: Now I'm going to name seven people who might run for mayor next year.
After I read all seven names, please tell me which one you would most like to
see elected mayor in 2009. Here are the choices: Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn
Borough President Marty Markowitz, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Congressman
Anthony Weiner, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, City Comptroller William
Thompson, and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum? na = not asked

10. How would you rate the job Michael Bloomberg has done as mayor? IF NEEDED:
Using an A, B, C, D and F grading scale like they do in school, please rate the
job Michael Bloomberg has done as mayor of New York City?

TREND: Currently, there is an 8 year term limit for all elected New York City
officials. Do you favor or oppose extending this limit to 12 years?

Jul 16 Mar 1
2008 2001
Favor 32 34
Oppose 65 63
DK/NA 3 4

16. As you may know, Michael Bloomberg will have served 8 years as Mayor by the
end of 2009. If Mayor Bloomberg commits to running for a third term as mayor,
would you favor or oppose extending the 8 year time limit so you could vote for him?

18. If term limits are altered or abolished and Mayor Bloomberg could run again,
which comes closest to your feelings: A) Bloomberg has a lot of good programs he
wants to finish; he should get four more years in office OR B) Changing the rules in
the middle of the game is unfair; someone else should have the chance to be mayor?

23. When Michael Bloomberg leaves office, do you think that the next mayor should
retain complete control of the public schools, should share control with an
independent school board, or should give up all control of the public schools?

TREND: When Michael Bloomberg leaves office, do you think that the next mayor
should retain complete control of the public schools, should share control with
an independent school board, or should give up all control of the public schools?

24. As you may know, there was a proposal to use congestion pricing to reduce
traffic in New York City by charging a fee for vehicles that drive south of 60th
Street in Manhattan. The New York State legislature did not pass this plan.
Would you like to see the city try again to get a congestion pricing plan passed?

25. As you may know, the New York State legislature is divided. The Democrats
control the Assembly while the Republicans control the State Senate. Regardless
of your personal political leaning, do you think this split control of the state
legislature has been a good thing or a bad thing?

26. (Republicans and Independents leaning Republican) There has been talk that
Mayor Bloomberg would like to install new leadership in the state Republican party.
Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?